BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES
Operated by HSF Affiliates, LLC, the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand launched in 2013. With plans for global expansion from the get-go, the global residential real estate brokerage franchise network consists of more than 50,000 real estate professionals and nearly 1,500 offices across 12 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Bahamas and India. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices provides real estate brokerage services, mortgage loan origination, franchising, title insurance/escrow and closing services, home warranties, property insurance, casualty insurance and relocation services.
“All great networks offer a strong technology suite; if they didn’t, they would not be a global player,” says Christy Budnick, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “One of the biggest reasons brokerages choose to align with us is trust and the halo effect that the Berkshire Hathaway brand commands. When consumers look to buy or sell their home, which for most is their largest and most expensive asset, trust means everything. According to Fortune magazine, Berkshire Hathaway is one of the most trusted brands in the world.”
Budnick notes that while not all brands have a culture of driving and commanding excellence in their network, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ agents and brokerages are changing the industry by becoming what the company has coined “Forever Agents”—with a focus on building and serving clients for life.
Another point of differentiation is the fact that while other companies focus their training on new agents, requiring mid-level agents to seek their own coaching and training through expensive outside sources, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is striving to change that.
Regarding compensation, “our model is one that is left to our independently owned and operated network members as they deem appropriate in their local markets,” expresses Budnick. “We don’t mandate that our affiliates follow any governance on compensation. They have the freedom to implement what is best for them in their given marketplace.”
The company’s leadership team believes that the next few years will be opportunistic, and it intends to take advantage of the shifting market by diligently managing expenses and investing in areas that will grow and provide value to its network.
Fast Facts
- Launched this year, the Forever Agent Coaching program is targeted at mid-level agents who are driven to increase their business and improve their processes.
- Berkshire Hathaway’s history as a brand continues to prove that it is a debt-free company that has made the investment in people and processes to drive profits.
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS® REAL ESTATE
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate (BHGRE)—part of the Anywhere Expansion Brands portfolio—offers home sellers the advantage of appearing on its website, which offers the “Friendliest Search in Real Estate.”
“We are the only real estate brand relevant to consumers 365 days a year, not just when they are thinking about buying and selling a home,” says Sherry Chris, CEO of Anywhere Expansion Brands. “Our affiliated brokers and agents benefit from the universal awareness of Better Homes & Gardens® and the consumer trust that comes along with the brand.”
BHGRE was the first real estate brand founded with a stated set of core values, which continue to remain as important as ever: passion, authenticity, inclusion, growth and excellence, known as P.A.I.G.E.
“Study after study has shown that today’s consumers are paying even more attention to a brand’s values and how that can influence their decisions to work—or not work—with a brand,” explains Chris. “This is just one of the reasons why our core values have resonated so much with the entrepreneurial spirit of our network. Whether it’s providing exceptional client service or giving back to their communities, our network of real estate professionals apply these values to every aspect of their businesses. These values combined with our exclusive tools, technology and comprehensive professional development programs empower the BHGRE network to exceed customer expectations in every interaction.”
Chris points out that whether you’re an independent boutique brokerage looking to get to the next level or just starting out, BHGRE partners with each business to create a strategic growth plan in line with their goals. The unique BHGRE value proposition continues to play a key role in owners’ decisions to affiliate with the brand.
The company also offers an array of incentives and benefits to help franchise owners grow their businesses with its inclusive ownership program. This initiative is designed to support entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented populations in the real estate industry, including women, veterans, LGBTQ+ and people of color.
“We will continue to focus on growth and being dedicated partners to our affiliates to help them advance their businesses and succeed in this market,” says Chris. “As the industry gets more complex and consumers have so many choices, one thing that has not changed is that our homes define—and are central to—our lifestyles. And nothing says lifestyle like BH&G and BHGRE.”
Fast Facts
- Through a partnership with Dotdash Meredith, America’s largest digital and print publisher, BHGRE delivers content, tools and resources to franchisees to empower them in their markets.
- This year, the BH&G media brand is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE
Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, the CENTURY 21 System currently has 14,250-plus independently owned and operated franchise brokers across 86 countries and territories.
“We’re a very entrepreneurial franchise brand,” says Mark Westphale, senior vice president of franchise sales at Century 21 Real Estate LLC. “It’s important to find the right unaffiliated companies that are a fit for us. Ones that want to grow their business from where they’re at today. We treat our franchisees like they’re part of our family, and in doing so, provide support so they’re not having to do everything on their own. We can provide the tools to be a successful and profitable brokerage.”
The company believes in mutual evaluation, taking people through what the franchise process is all about, with a commitment to being educators and trusted advisors that begins with walking potential franchisees through it all—identifying where prospective franchisees are as a brokerage, where they want to be, and how the firm can help get them there.
“We do reject brokerage firms sometimes because we feel it’s not the right fit,” says Westphale. “We try to give everybody an opportunity. It’s not that they may be too small or they don’t meet our qualifications, which we do have. It’s more about, are we aligned in how you want to grow your business? We want to provide an environment for your sales professionals to truly service your buyers and sellers through our iconic brand.”
A culture fit is crucial, asserts Westphale.
“One of the biggest evaluations is culture,” he says. “When I said we’re an entrepreneurial brand, I mean that we won’t try to change who somebody is when they come to us. We try to empower them to achieve what their goals are.
“Our network is one of our strongest value proposition items,” adds Westphale. “In the U.S., we’re in every market—from rural to suburban to urban to metro. Being around 51 years, we know how to help companies navigate choppy waters and propel them through any type of market cycle and the ups and downs of the economy. Sometimes you meet unprecedented challenges that people haven’t experienced before, but we have.”
The company employs a big-picture look at what’s going on in the marketplace, and acknowledges that it is on the leading edge of investment in technology and has the resources to help coach and train agents so they know how to adjust to the marketplace.
“A lot of times, that’s a value that an independent or unaffiliated broker doesn’t have,” explains Westphale. “They can be the smartest person in the room and try to come up with everything on their own, but that’s very challenging. Those are the times when a lot of people want to talk to us. I like to say we solve, we don’t sell. We want to solve their problems and award them a franchise.”
Fast Facts
- During the pandemic, the company pivoted quickly to provide support in areas like virtual presentations and fully electronic transactions.
- CENTURY 21 is a global brand, with locations in 86 countries.
COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE
Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, the Coldwell Banker network includes 3,000 offices in 49 countries and territories.
“When we assess companies and prospects unaffiliated or maybe looking to change brands, we’re looking for a fit with us, too,” says Liz Gehringer, president of Coldwell Banker Affiliate Business and COO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “We want to affiliate with people who will represent Coldwell Banker well in the marketplace. Our brand is very important to us, what it stands for and what it means. People know they can trust us, and that we’re a professional group of people to do business with.”
Coldwell Banker offers classes, events and workshops, with the thought that if you’re running your own brokerage, it’s hard to do all your own marketing. But they can do it for you or provide the tools you need. With a lot of buying power, Coldwell Banker often buys tools and provides them to affiliates for free, or very little.
“Those represented by us are going to understand the transaction, the value of their home, the other side and the marketplace. At that level, it’s local. At the brand level, it’s global, with a lot of power to tell our story. People respond to the Coldwell Banker sign,” says Gehringer.
“We take care of our agents,” continues Gehringer. “The people we onboard, we support in training and marketing. There’s approachability with our agents. We’re selling franchises, but it’s really about who will be an extension of us. We do every mode of streaming and social, and give advertising to the agents so they can customize it. It’s not like we’re doing national advertising and they’re on their own. Our marketing massively sets us apart, sells itself and is why a company would want to put their brand with our brand.”
Fast Facts
- The company launched the What Moves Her initiative to help women in the industry develop their leadership abilities and fully realize their professional development goals.
- The Coldwell Banker real estate brand is in 49 countries.
